Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Hong Kong Squash Open Semi-Finals Report
Camille Serme* recorded her best World Series placing to date after reaching the final of the *Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Hong Kong Squash Open 2012*.
The 23-year-old from Creteil, Paris, France claimed a tense five-game victory over *Omneya Abdel Kawy*, who had caused mass-upsets through her previous rounds in the event.
The unseeded Egyptian started the event at the Hong Kong Squash Centre in formidable form, defeating second seed *Laura Massaro* in straight games in round one, before moving past tenth and sixth seeds *Joelle King* and *Alison Waters* in hour-long five-game clashes.
Serme, who defeated *Rachael Grinham*, *Low Wee Wern* and *Aisling Blake*on her way to the semi’s, claimed a close first game on the all-glass court at the Hong Kong harbour-side, before the world No.22 hit back with a dominant second to draw level. The Frenchwoman held her nerve against the former world No.4, chipping away at her 11-point target and was rewarded with the third game to retake the lead. Another close contest ensued in the fourth, and a tiebreak was needed to separate the pair. Serme held match-point at 11-10 but was unable to see off her opponent and Kawy claimed three points in a row to force her third successive five-game match. A string of errors early on from the attacking Egyptian gave Serme a golden opportunity to extend a lead in the last game, and she took duly capitalised on her six-point lead from which Kawy never recovered.
Seeded eleventh for the event, Serme now progresses to her first final of a World Series event, and will face the ever-formidable six-time World and Hong Kong Open Champion *Nicol David*. The Malaysian continued her steamroller approach to the competition, with her sights firmly focussed on a seventh Hong Kong title. The top seed is yet to drop a game in the competition, having moved past *Sarah Kippax*, *Joey Chan* and *Kasey Brown*in no longer that 30-minutes each, and maintained her punishing form today against Natalie Grinham.
Grinham’s tactics of hitting the ball short from the back of the court seemed to benefit the Dutch international during the early stages of the game, but David’s movement and width from the front caused problems for the No.8 seed. The former world No.2 was unable to consistently trouble David, who moves into her 81st WSA World Tour final.
